Syracuse Holds Off Notre Dame Comeback in Emotional Tribute to Boeheim

In a game that showcased both the dominance and resilience of Syracuse Men’s Basketball, the Orange secured a hard-fought victory against Notre Dame, prevailing 88-85. However, beyond the thrilling on-court action, the day held significant emotional weight as the Syracuse community came together to honor the legendary coach, Jim Boeheim, for his unparalleled 47-year tenure.

From the opening tip-off, Syracuse came out firing on all cylinders, led by a scorching start from sophomore sensation Judah Mintz, who poured in 10 points in the opening 10 minutes. Mintz, along with sharpshooter Chris Bell, propelled the Orange to an early 24-9 advantage, leaving Notre Dame struggling to find an answer.

Syracuse’s Judah Mintz makes a last-second pass in the first half of Saturday’s game at the JMA Wireless Dome (Photo by Jonathan Kinane/Newhouse SMC)

Despite Notre Dame’s efforts to claw back into the contest, Syracuse’s suffocating defense and balanced scoring kept the Fighting Irish at bay for much of the first half. However, a late surge from Notre Dame trimmed the halftime deficit to 49-29, setting the stage for a dramatic second-half showdown.

Syracuse’s Judah Mintz defends Notre Dame’s Markus Burton in the final seconds of Saturday’s game (Photo by Jonathan Kinane/Newhouse SMC)

As the second half commenced, Notre Dame mounted a spirited comeback, fueled by the sharpshooting of Braeden Shrewsberry and the scoring prowess of Markus Burton. Behind a barrage of three-pointers, the Fighting Irish sliced Syracuse’s once-commanding lead to a mere four points with eight minutes remaining.

However, Syracuse responded to the challenge with poise and resilience, as Chris Bell continued to deliver clutch buckets alongside contributions from Judah Mintz, JJ Starling, Maliq Brown, and Justin Taylor, all of whom finished in double figures. Head Coach Adrian Autry was pleased with how Taylor finished despite his lack of scoring this season,

“When you have a guy that hasn’t played the best that he’s capable of, he didn’t hold his head down, he kept working. I’ll say this right now. I’ll take a bullet, I’m with these guys everyday. These are young men that are trying to help us win and they do everything I ask them to do.”

Despite the relentless onslaught from Notre Dame, the Orange refused to relinquish their lead, ultimately clinching the hard-earned victory.

Yet, the triumph on the court was just one aspect of the day’s significance. Following the game, the Syracuse faithful gathered to pay homage to the iconic figure of Jim Boeheim, who has left an indelible mark on the program and the sport of basketball as a whole. In a heartfelt ceremony featuring esteemed alum Mike Tirico, Boeheim was showered with gratitude and presented with numerous tokens of appreciation, including the unveiling of a new banner commemorating his unparalleled legacy.

Coach Jim Boeheim giving his final speech inside the JMA Wireless Dome (Photo by Jonathan Kinane/Newhouse SMC)

Syracuse continues to fight for an NCAA Tournament spot in their last home game against Virginia Tech next Tuesday at 7 PM.